Afternoon Fire Blocks Traffic, Causes Heavy Smoke

A fire in an apartment on North Market Street in Ottumwa Monday afternoon forced firefighters to block streets that are being used as construction detours. The small blaze also caused two people to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Authorities say the fire started in the kitchen of the apartment, at around two o’clock in the afternoon. Fire units had to block both North Market and Gara streets, which are two of the streets many drivers are using as a detour around the construction on nearby Jefferson Street. The streets were blocked for a little less than an hour.

The residents had extinguished most of the fire before firefighters arrived on the scene, but they still had work to do in getting the smoke out of the apartment. The cause of the fire has not been released.